Posted: 4/8/2005 2:34:50 AM EDT
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Tell me about Ferrets. Do they make good pets. My kids want one. Thanks.  |
| How old is your kid? If they are still fairly young,resign yourself to the fact you will be taking care of it. They require alot of work. If you get the ferret young,you have to litter box train them, you also need to ferret proof your house or area they will be in. Ferrets are very curious and will get into everything. When they get sick,it will cost you more than a dog or a cat will at the vet. You also can not use kitty litter or shavings with a ferret. If you are still bound and determined to get one go to a ferret shelter in your area. They will teach you everything you need to know about owning one,and match one to you. Alot of people get them and then find out they are alot of work and don't want them. Also it is easier to have 2 than it is 1,they will keep each other company. At one time I had 5,I am now down to 3. They are alot of fun,and when you have had a bad day they will make you laugh. Research them. Read Ferrets for Dummies and talk to a ferret shelter. Then decide. |
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They're really cool stuffed on a mantle. Like the guys above said - they're a lot of work. If you don't handle them constantly, they will start biting. Also - If you really decide you want one, make sure you go to a breeder, and not a pet store. I'd be cautious about a rescue - alot of them are rejected because they've started biting. Good luck! |
| Actually the rescues will not place a ferret that bites. They also work with the ferrets and regain their trust. Believe it or not some ferrets have been abused. I have one. It took 3 years for her to be placed with me. She bit everyone that was interested in her,that came into the shelter. Her biting is a way for her to test you and see how you will react. She doesn't bite hard or break the skin,but because she was abused she wants to see what you will do. Most shelters are a great place for first time ferret owners. They will teach you what is involved in their care. As I said research them and decide if you want all the work involved. |
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They suck. Your house will stink, even though you are used to it and don't notice. They stink no matter what you remove or how much you bath them. They nest like rats, steal objects to build neat, eat speaker cones, inside of shoes. DON'T DO IT! My mom and brother did while I was in the USAF and I thought I came back to a barnyard. |
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If you must have a neat, clean and ordered life, then a ferret is not for you. If you enjoy a life full of noisy kids, piles of toys, and laughter, then ferrets might be for you. If you wake up in the morning excited about the day and fall asleep at night worn out from this daily adventure we call life, then ferrets just may be for you. Ferrets are just ferrets. You can not train them to be considerate. They do four things. They eat, sleep, poop, and play. Everything and everyone is either something or someone to be played with. They love interacting with kids. They will come to you when they want to. They will mess with anything they can get their weasely little faces into. Ferret comes from the Old French word for little thief. I have seen them (at least try to) take and hide everything from little objects to pump shotguns. (My old ferret Maverick bit onto the rubber recoil pad of a Remington and started to drag it across a carpetted floor. He was going to hide it.) |
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This is the second time this has come up recently. The mere fact that I'm responding again should give you an idea of how passionate I am about the following: Ferrets fucking suck. I hate those rat faced bastards. The guy I shared an apt. with had 2 of them. I fucking hated them. They STINK (and he was good about cleaning), they're ugly, they get into EVERYTHING and fuck it up, they don't listen to you, they don't like you, they don't like being pet, they'll find a hidden corner and shit in it, the bastards will even bite your toe for no reason, did I mention they stink (even unscented). I hate hate hate hate ferrets. My god I wanted to kill those fuckers. I kept hoping one would clime into the recliner then someone would come sit down and recline. This is coming from someone who likes both cats and dogs so its not like I hate pets. You will regret getting one. I guarantee. I wouldn't wish the ferret experience on anyone. awful animals. Every ferret is doomed to hell. |
Stop holding back- tell us how you really feel!  Ferrets are funny to watch if they are somebody else's. The smell and corner deposits are what have kept me from getting one. |
| Actually as long as you have something in the corners they won't relieve themselves there. No they are not impossible to housebreak. They actually like things clean. My second 3 were not litter boxed trained when I got them,they picked up real quick. I also had 2 litter boxes in the bottom of their cage. They do not like being dirty. I have one ferret who is full grown,but she is so small I call her my pocket ferret. They do like to be held and petted,but it is on their terms. Mine love being in my arms and walking all over the house with me. I do have 2 stray cats we took in whom I am sure if they ever had the chance would think of them as a snack. That being said I have a room that I close off to kitties when they are out. |
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Ferrets are pretty cool mine died and I really want another one but havent gotten a chance to get one yet. They sell special shampoo and it gets rid of the stink but they always have a slight musty smell. Dont believe the hype they are great with kids and can teach a kid some responsibility . |
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Ferrets rock. One of the best pet's I've owned yet, and I've owned everything. One is easy to take care of.. most of my comments apply but to a much lesser degree. They are full of antics and you'll laugh numerous times at them just from watching them. I have 4 of them, a pair of males and a pair of females. All Nuetered/spayed. It's better to adopt them in pairs, as they bond with other ferrets very well and it will be someone to play with - they do like to play rough. Rolling around and tubling with each other, and chasing each other down the hall. They do require a lot of work (attention/training) though. All ferrets come de-scented (they have stink glands just like a skunk, but less potent, that they cut when it's a baby) and fixed from a store. They have a natural musk scent to them, but it's not that bad. Really. Males have more of a musk than females for attraction. Your dog that you don't bathe smells a ton worse (I'm sure all you dog owners wash puppy once a week, gag) as does cat piss. Bedding needs to be changed and washed once a week, and you need to litter scoop every day. They can be litter trained - mine go in regular cat litter boxes with newspaper pellets. You shouldn't wash them with soap/shampoo more than once every 2 months, as it strips the natural oils from their skin and their glands go into over-drive producing more, and that can make them stink worse actually. Mine come into the shower to play around in the water daily with me. They love it. They are curious and intuitive pets that will want to be in whatever it is your doing, from planting to vacuming to changing bed sheets. I am a clean cut neat freak too, a lot of the comments here are way over-exaggarated, or sound like they are coming from people who are mad lazy. You really have to be a animal lover to appreciate them, and it's not a cage pet. So if you're looking for something to lock behind bars and poke fingers at all day, this is not the pet for you. How old is the kid? It will probably be you that ends up taking care of it... and they do require constant care. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/ShawnDC/peekaboo.jpg |
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Ferrets make excellent pets! - Yes the do have their own scent to them. If you bathe them once a month you're good to go. - The coolest ferrets are the ones you spend the most time with. When they're very young it's important to bond with them as much as possible. Ones that are rarely let out of their cage are far less fun. - They're an absolute riot. Hours of entertainment. They are goofy/weird little things. - FERRET PROOF YOUR HOUSE. if there's a way to get somewhere you don't want them to go, THEY WILL find it. - Down side is; when they get sick they get sick an alarming speed. They usually require immediate attention. 
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| At one time my kids had 9, we were our own ‘Ferret rescue’ so to speak. If you want to cut the ‘smell’ down ten fold, do not buy the pre packaged ‘Ferret Food’. When the kids first wanted one, I talked to our vet and she had 3 recommendations, first, feed Iams or Pro Plan Kitten food. ( Their food is the leading cause of their smell ) Next was a bath twice a week with Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. Last was to use Wood Pellets, as used in a Pellet Stove as litter in their cage, both in the litter box and bottom of cage. Change the Litter box when the pellets start to expand and fall apart from the urine, and the bottom of the cage once a week. We never had a problem with smell or sickness. |